February 8, 2005

Good morning. I'm taking some credit time I've built up to keep an eye on a ewe that might lamb today. I will probably stay home until noon and dh will come home early this afternoon. We've had some good luck but still having some bad luck with our ewes. One ewe not only laid on one lamb and killed it, she laid on the second one. We usually only keep them penned up for a day or two but it turned cold and snowy yesterday so we kept her penned up a day longer. The pens are still plenty big that she had plenty of room to lay down.

Abby had 7 puppies (6 girls and 1 boy). They are so cute and plump. She is a very good mom. She used to be kind of finicky eater. Now she gobbles up a big bowl of high protein dog food twice a day. We have 3 to sell. So far we have sold two, the breeder gets one and we will keep one. Anyone interested? Their great grandparents may have come from royalty since they came from the UK. (Not that that means anything - just thought I had to throw that in as a selling point.)

DH decided to get rid of Xenia, the nubian goat. I hated to see her go but she has very big teets, good for hand milking but not good for kids or lambs to nurse from. And the past two years, her milk production has been going down. I had to lead her and her kid on the trailer. I did shed a few tears over them going.

We have two calves on the ground. One heifer delivered during the snow storm (naturally). Joe and I had to pull him. Poor mom was really in pain but both mom and baby seem to be doing well now.

This weather is strange. On Thurs, Fri and Sat of last week, temps were in upper 50's to low 60's. Today it is 11 with about 4 inches of snow on the ground.

DH bought a used hay swather. We probably should have bought one years ago. He has been going to farm sales and pricing them and ended up buying a used one from a dealer. It comes with a guarantee and they did some repairs before he brought it home. He also found out it had never been stored outside. Every year it is such a hassle to get the hay cut, either they don't come when you want them too, etc. And the one that is reliable is expensive.

We are so so busy at work. And it will not get any better, with proposed cuts in administrative budget and everytime we turn around, the national office mandates some other bureaucratical stupid dicate, etc. (Can you tell the past few days have been a bit frustrating?)

Better go to the barn and need to get working on our income tax. You all have a good day.